7 Surprising Ways High Blood Sugar Can Affect You

Effects of High Blood Sugar and Symptoms

One of the main ways high blood sugar can affect you is by being diagnosed with diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 29 million people in the United States have diabetes and over 86 million people in the United States have prediabetes. The scariest part of all is that sometimes high blood sugar symptoms can slip by without being noticed. Here we are going to mention 7 surprising ways high blood sugar can affect you and your body.

Effects of High Blood Sugar on You and Your Body

No Symptoms: It is very common that high blood sugar symptoms are not prevalent until it is too late. If you have a history of high blood sugar in your family, your best bet is to have a blood test to check your glucose levels.
Changes In Sex Drive: A lowered sex drive in both males and females can be one of the effects of high blood sugar. The heightened levels of glucose in the blood causes problems with nerves and blood vessels changing the way sex can be enjoyed.
Thick Blood: This is one of the stranger high blood sugar symptoms, although it makes sense. When your blood is full of sugar it will have a thicker consistency making it not only move slower but affecting different parts of the body.
Mouth Problems: Having high blood sugar can cause major issues when it comes to your mouth due to the combination of sugar and bacteria inside. It not only forms plaque on your teeth but can also cause tooth damage and sensitive gums. Worst of all, too much sugar in your blood can cause thrush in your mouth which is a type of fungal infection causing sores in your mouth.
Stomach Problems: High blood sugar can make harmful changes in your stomach causing problems such as constipation, or diarrhea.
Vision Trouble: Due to the buildup of sugar in the blood causing it to thicken it can in turn over time affect eye health. The eye is full of many small vessels and when the blood is thick, it makes it difficult to pass through causing not only blurry vision but problems further down the road.
Forgetfulness: Changes in memory can be one of the effects of high blood sugar. High levels of glucose in the blood affect different parts of the body, especially the brain, due to slower circulation. These effects on the brain can lead to poor memory and even something as severe as a stroke.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and want to avoid some of the various ways high blood sugar can affect you, here are a few tips to help you take care of yourself.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases believes that you should take care of the following things to successfully take care of yourself with diabetes:

Understand how to manage different components of diabetes such as blood pressure, A1C and cholesterol
Make sure you are living a low stress lifestyle, find hobbies that interest you
Let someone know, especially a medical professional, if you are feeling down about your diabetes
Eating right is one of the most important steps in maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you are unsure about what you should be eating, speak to a medical professional for recommendations.
Exercise regularly, whether you are going for a walk or a run, getting out and exercising is not only good for your physical health but also your mental.

Adjusting to a new lifestyle takes time, learn what is best for you and your overall well-being and from there things will get easier.